Located about 300 km northwest of Hanoi, the Mu Cang Chai region in the north of Yen Bai province was, before the Covid-19 pandemic, become a must for foreign and local tourists.
These famous terraces, which rise up to 1,000 meters above sea level, largely belong to the Hmong, an ethnic group very present in the region.
The rice fields are particularly remarkable in September and October with their brilliant yellow color.
“We received a large number of tourists,” recalls Lo Thi Loan, a farmer.
"This year, there is no one in the rice fields, because of the virus and travel restrictions."
"Our only desire is that we can resume normal life," she adds.
Aerial view of rice terraces in the Mu Cang Chai region, in northern Vietnam, November 29, 2021 Nhac NGUYEN AFP
Vietnam has recently started to open its international borders to vaccinated foreign tourists.
The first arrived in November in the tourist island of Phu Quoc and in tourist regions further south.
The country is desperate to revive its economy ravaged by months of lockdowns and border closures.
© 2021 AFP